Chris Culliver breaks up a pass intended for Jordy Nelson in Week 1, when San Francisco held off the Packers 30-22.

Photo: Mike Roemer, Associated Press

Chris Culliver breaks up a pass intended for Jordy Nelson in Week...

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Green Bay Packers' Charles Woodson breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers' Delanie Walker (46) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Photo: Jeffrey Phelps, Associated Press

Green Bay Packers' Charles Woodson breaks up a pass intended for...

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) hands off the ball to running back DuJuan Harris (26) during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Minnesota Vikings Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

"I remember Bo doing this and same with my high school coach, but anyhow, getting ready for an opponent and Bo saying, 'These guys are good, but they're not the Green Bay Packers for God sakes,' " Harbaugh said. "And here we are playing the Green Bay Packers. So our biggest challenge is preparing for a great team."

It remains to be seen whether the 2012 Packers will evoke memories like those Schembechler used as motivation, but there is no question Saturday's divisional-playoff game between San Francisco and Green Bay will pit two of the NFL's great franchises.

The 49ers and Packers have combined to win 20 percent of the league's Super Bowl titles (9-of-46) while Green Bay ranks third in NFL history with 30 postseason wins and San Francisco is fourth (26).

A slice of their postseason histories, of course, is shared: The Packers and 49ers met in five playoff games from Jan. 6, 1996, to Jan. 13, 2002, with Green Bay winning four. After an 11-year hiatus, they'll rekindle the postseason rivalry Saturday, four months after San Francisco opened the season by handing the Packers their only regular-season home loss since 2010. Green Bay trailed by 16 points in the third quarter en route to a 30-22 loss.

"We're a little thankful that we get the chance to play San Francisco again," Packers fullback John Kuhn said. "They really whooped up on us the first game of the season. We're looking forward to going out there and playing a better game."

Even with that Week 1 loss, the Packers have won 13 of the past 15 games in the series. And they'll lean heavily on quarterback Aaron Rodgers to continue that domination. Rodgers, whose 114.9 passer rating since 2011 is the best two-season mark in NFL history, will have a score to settle after the 49ers occasionally had him retreating to the sideline shaking his head in frustration in September.

On their first eight drives, Green Bay had six punts, one interception and one touchdown.

"They have a great pass rush and they did some good things with their pass rush," Rodgers said. "They mixed up some looks in the secondary, brought some pressures we hadn't seen .... They kind of took us out of our rhythm. Their offense was very efficient that day. That did as much as anything, I think, because it put us in the mode that we had to throw it more than we wanted to coming into the game."

In Week 1, the 49ers' efficient attack was led by Alex Smith, who completed 20 of 26 passes and posted a 125.6 rating. On Saturday, Colin Kaepernick will make his eighth career start, including his first in the postseason. In his three starts at Candlestick, Kaepernick has completed 68 percent of his passes (50-of-74) with four touchdowns and no interceptions, compiling a 116.0 rating.

Kaepernick has also starred on the road - winning in the deafening din in New Orleans and in near-freezing rain in New England. He doesn't anticipate the playoff spotlight being too bright.

"It's another game," Kaepernick said. "There's just more at stake."

The Packers didn't see Kaepernick throw a pass in the season opener. But they've seen enough in preparation for Saturday's rematch to realize revenge won't be easily achieved.

"No doubt about it," Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams said. "He's shown a lot, just for stepping in when he did. Some of the throws that he makes, some of the reads that he makes, he's kind of before his time you could say."